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A while ago, a friend at work invited me to attend an Aptera show-and-tell in Palo Alto. The Aptera is a wonderful change in car design. For something that’s different, I’m glad the designers opted to make a different look. Once you get over the “airplane” look and feel, I could see it being a fun car.

But like the Tesla, it suffers from the limits of battery. It requires charging time - which I don’t need right now with petrol. The Prius and the Insight are sheer garbage because they lack the most important aspect of the car - style! No, cool factor! No, sweetness! No, it lacks the “wow, is that your car?!??!” gawk from everyone that gazes at it.

All other hybrids are trying to be regular cars - and I don’t blame the manufacturers for taking this route. It’s easy because most of the pieces are already there. It’s easy because the visual impression is already proven. It’s easy because, well, there’s no thinking involved - let’s take one of our cars and make it a hybrid.

But let’s take a look at my choice IF hydrogen will take another decade to come around AND I would invest in a… eh-hem… hybrid.

Ladies and gentlemen… I bring you The Karma… Fisker’s Karma - the $85,000 hybrid. You can visit the company’s site here (http://karma.fiskerautomotive.com). It’s quite possibly one of the most stunning car designs I’ve seen and it does not disappoint from any angle. It has a 50 mile range on pure battery with a small engine to continue your course. Decent 0-60 number at sub 6 seconds with a maximum speed of 125mph. It’s not a supercar by any means - but I would put my money that this car would get you a date (unlike an Insight or the precious Prius).

Is it practical? Oh hell no. You want to be practical, take the bus. As for me, I want - no… I need me some good Karma.

Sometime around the Paleolithic or Mesolithic (I love wikipedia) periods, some guys who were tired of getting their tails kicked by better warriors with swords came up with the idea of bows and arrows. It was such a game changer, it swept the known world over - it was basically what the cool kids carried around… Apollo. Robin Hood. William Tell. Cupid.

And then the gun was invented. So much for the bow and arrow. Today, archery is a hobby - a talent that may not have much warfare value but it does have its following. There’s even clubs and newsletters.

Where does the car story come in?
In October 2008, I came across a beautiful 1989 Jaguar XJS. With only 54k original miles, she’s a delight to drive even for a 20 year old car. The V12 does not disappoint - smooth and silky.

Recently, there was an opportunity to get my hands on a 1972 Series III Jaguar XKE 2+2 Coupe. Considered to be one of the most beautiful cars in history, it was hard to resist entertaining the idea of having an older V12 dressed in a sexy body. For a few dollars more (ok, thousands more), I could replace the XJS with the XKE.

Maybe I should first explain what the car will be used for before we go on with this story. I’m not the kind of car-nut who buys cars only to gaze at them in his garage. I’ve always believed that you have and should drive the car. If you don’t drive it, why not just get a poster and save the money? Given this mantra, I enjoy driving the XJS as often as I could (about twice a week when I have no need for passenger seats). Can the XKE handle this same capacity?

The XKE should be able to handle this - and why not (as I try and convince myself)?

Well… the more I thought about this “replacement” idea, the more I thought of “archery”. It’s fantastic seeing these classic cars on the road once-in-a-great-while - and the XKE is truly a rare sight on the road. There are very good reasons why you only see them once in a blue moon. It’s not that their engine’s ability is poor - it’s everything else. Here’s a few that come to mind.

I can probably continue to nit-pick but you get the picture. Things break - and with older cars, they break sooner. Unless you replace those old parts with modern materials, they’re just going to have short life spans (obviously, it depends on what part and how much exposure to wear).

Obviously, a bow made with modern materials will perform better and last longer. But in the end, the bow is still old technology. And like archery, I had to walk away from the XKE. Just as I had walked away from my 1964 Volvo P1800. And soon, the XJS won’t be too far behind when used frequently with this mindset.

Of course, if you have the room to save your old classic for weekend cruises, then by all means… do it. And don’t wait to live great.

As a fan, I’m reading free online reports (hear that Kawakami? It’s the internet - it’s free) about the latest Raiders draft picks and ran across this post:

http://myespn.go.com/s/conversations/show/story/4110782

Who do we have here: Suzy Kolber, Trent Dilfer, Cris Carter, Tom Jackson and a backup quarterback for the NY Giants who is probably more famous for his The Bachelor episode than any throw he’s made. The article is about Mike Mitchell - a safety who I believe could be something special in the NFL. Yet the video is a rant-off about the Raider’s 7th overall pick - Darrius Heyward-Bey.

I’ll let you watch it for yourself but I walk away with a couple of things:

1. Carter is a classless punk. I no longer feel sympathy for you for not winning the big dance. And I hope that you were DHB’s role model so that he will have a big chip on his shoulder.
2. Trent Dilfer… I don’t know where you end and where Carter begins because you’re really up Carter’s ass. By the way, didn’t you lose your 49er position to… hmmm some guy I have never heard of… oh yeah - Shaun Hill - wasn’t he an undrafted free agent signed by the Vikings eight years ago?
3. Tom Jackson… is he still alive? When is he going to just go away? I guess I would be bitter too had I lost to the Raiders as much as he did.
4. Jesse Palmer - what dropped balls? How many? Stop repeating Mel Kiper and show me the f-ing highlights on the dropped balls? I can’t find any on the web. Besides, wasn’t Palmer a 4th rounder in 2001? Oh and he never played…. right….
5. Suzy Kolber - how can you yukk it up with these imbeciles and then proceed to interview Darrius… that was wrong. No wonder you’re still NOT in a prime time ESPN show. Can you go back to commentating gymnastics?

And here are some memorable quotes that I stumbled upon…
“I’ll see you at his hall of fame induction” - Mel Kiper about WR Mike Williams.

“that’s why they keep picking number two every year” - Mel Kiper about RB Marshall Faulk after the Colts selected him. (Faulk had a great career and the year he was drafted the Colts improved to 8-8 and the following season they made the playoffs).

One last note: whenever I see these sites that talk about DHB or Mitchell or Raiders draft in general, there are plenty of non-Raiders fans chiming in… my question is “what are you guys doing in these sites? Don’t you have your own team to worry about?” If the Raiders are going to suck yet again in 2009, then what are you blabbering about - worry about someone who will compete with you then - don’t waste your time with the Raiders because we won’t matter much anyway, right?

And there were plenty of ex-Raider fans going off about burning their allegiance. Great. Don’t let the door hit you on your way off the Raider wagon.

I regret that I read Tim Kawakami’s column in the San Jose Mercury (Winners and losers of the NFL draft) because I added a “hit” to that web page, possibly adding to the false conclusion that Kawakami’s regurgitated words mean anything. I regret even going to the Merc’s site - their writing is sub-par, their insights are rethreads from other sporting sites and they don’t add any value to Bay Area sports.

Memo to Tim - can you just write “I hate the Raiders and they suck to all hell” and just put more ads on your column? I think that will make more click-through dollars for you guys.

Memo to Tim’s boss - can you just dump this guy and put a link to my blog?

Let’s get to the bottom of all this and go bullet for bullet against Tim’s incredible insight.

1. Why did the Raiders choose DHB as the overall 7th pick?

They’ve always wanted DHB. They didn’t want Crabtree or Maclin.

2. If the entire planet sees DHB as the 3rd best receiver, why not drop down and pick him up somewhere in the teens or late first round?

First, everyone assumes that they could trade down. What if they couldn’t? What if the only possible trade-down they could have made was so late in the first round that another team would’ve selected DHB. Then what do you have?

3. Why don’t they want Crabtree or Maclin?

Crabtree made it clear he didn’t want to go to Oakland. Would you dish out millions of dollars to some kid who didn’t care for your team? Maclin and DHB may have been so close in their skills that DHB won out because of this personality, work ethic, pro-style offense, insert more reasons here.

Regardless of the reason, they like DHB and wanted him all along - but they couldn’t trade down. Conclusion: just take him.

4. Tim has seen DHB play. In fact, he has watched every Maryland game and according to his own personal cornerback, wide receiver and quarterbacking experience, DHB is simply unreliable.

Should I even go here? Is football really that simple? Are there stats on open field drops? You mean Maclin and Crabtree had zero drops? I saw a highlight film for DHB and he looked pretty reliable to me. Maybe the announcers in those Maryland games should eat their own shit for saying things like “how do you not cover the best player on this team” (DHB catching a pass for a touchdown).

5. What about Mitchell - who is this guy?

Browns and Bears had him high on their board (2nd round). If the Raiders didn’t take him, he would have been taken by the 47th pick or sooner.

6. No offensive tackles or quality defensive ends to get?

That’s been addressed by a coach who specializes on offensive lines. I think I would believe Cable over Kawakami on this one

7. Are the Raiders only drafting fast guys?

It does seem like it. But here’s a clue… when you apply for a job, you submit a resume. Because there could be many applicants, you have to screen them by looking at some pre-requisites (school, degree, gpa, blah, blah). The Raiders use the speed filter - is that so bad? Ok, so now you have the top 5 safeties based on speed… now you can drill down further on what makes each one better….

Screw that - here’s a better answer. A coach can teach you how to run routes, catch a ball, hit another player - YOU CAN’T TEACH SPEED.

8. Why is Kawakami saying that Cable has a horrendous job as the Oakland Coach?

Hmmm… on the one hand, I sympathize with Cable in being at the center of an incredibly challenging job - where he has the opportunity to turn a franchise around into something special. There’s a lot of obstacles. It’s genuine hard work. But he’s in the middle of it and some would think that’s just great.

On the other hand, Tim works for a newspaper company, a dinosour media outlet that will probably disappear in less than five years. Does anyone even pay for the San Jose Mercury anymore?

Stop killing trees and read your news online? It’s free.

2009 NFL Mock Draft
 

This is my first stab at doing this.  I think the main reason I’ve never done this in the past is that I’ve never really felt like I’ve had enough information about all of the players to make any sort of authoritative comments.  But I thought it would be a fun exercise to pick who I would draft instead of trying to “predict” who teams are going to draft.  Even after seeing many of these players in actual games and religiously watching all of the NFL Network’s draft shows, I still do not have all of the information I would like.  This forces me, especially in the 2^nd round, to rely on other people’s assessments.  If I got to watch all of the film I might come up with something completely different, but this is the best I can do with what’s available to me.  One other point: there will undoubtedly be trades on draft day.  There are teams who I think should try to trade their pick, but since I’m the only one doing this, it would be too easy for me to make one-sided trades.  Therefore one of my parameters is that no trades are available.

Now to the draft!

1) Detroit Lions
To me this is a no brainer.  The fact that the Lions also hold the 20^th and 33^rd picks in the draft give them the luxury of taking a shot at Matt Stafford.  I laugh at the people who are afraid to take a QB with a high draft pick because if you miss you “set the franchise back a few years.”  This is thinking by cliche!  God gave you a brain people … USE IT!!!  One, the Lions went 0-16.  You cannot set a franchise back any further.  Two, while many first round QBs never cut the mustard, even fewer (Tom Brady excepted) drafted in later rounds ever make an impact in the league.  Peyton, Donovan, Eli, Ben, Rivers, Cutler, Ryan, Flacco – if you want someone of this caliber, you are usually going to have to expend a 1^st round pick.  Otherwise you risk having someone like Tavaris Jackson as your starting QB.  Yikes!  Talk about setting back a franchise.  If I’m the Lions I’m willing to take the risk of swinging and missing for a QB.  What have I got to lose?  Furthermore, I can “cover” the perceived risk by making “safer” picks at 22 and 33.  As far as evaluating Stafford goes, he’s got all the physical tools and he’s got a great attitude.  Moreover, he welcomes the thought of playing in Detroit.  He’s not going to pull the Eli Manning prima donna act on me.  That’s enough for me.  Some people may think Mark Sanchez will be a better QB.  Fair enough.  I like him too.  I just have a little more confidence in Stafford.

Pick: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.
2) St. Louis Rams
Most mock drafts have the Rams picking one of the top offensive tackles with this pick.  I wonder if this is a knee-jerk reaction to setting Orlando Pace free.  While I do see the need to get someone to replace Pace, I think the Rams have needs all over the board.  The whole team stinks.  I’d be more inclined to pick the best player on the board and I think that is Aaron Curry.  First, I’d want to carefully review the game tapes to make sure he’s as good a tackler as he is an athlete.  Once I’m convinced of this, picking him makes more sense to me than picking a tackle.  I think a great defender has a bigger impact on turning a team into a winning one than a good starting tackle.  Furthermore, I think the opportunity to acquire a great defender comes along less frequently than the opportunity to acquire a good starting tackle.  I know I’ll have to address the O line problems at some point but I can’t pass up the chance to get a potentially special player for my defense.

Pick: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
3) Kansas City Chiefs
I’m miffed that the Rams took Curry but I console myself by getting a tackle to pair with last year’s rookie Branden Albert and feel good about the book ends I’ll have for the O Line for the next 10 years.

Pick: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
4) Seattle Seahawks
Once the Seahawks picked up T.J. Houshmanzadeh I saw a lot of mock drafts change from Crabtree at this spot to one of the top tackles.  I think that would be a mistake.  While T.J. is a very good receiver he’s never had to be the #1 guy.  Furthermore, he’s in his 30s.  What I am saying is that the Seahawks are far from set at the WR position.  But picture a receiving corps of T.J., Crabtree, Branch and Burleson.  Hasselback would be drooling all over himself.  You also need to consider the fact that while W. Jones will need a replacement someday, that day is not today.  Cross that bridge when you get there.  Watching Crabtree play and seeing him catch the ball I know he is something special and I don’t need to know his damn 40 time to confirm that.  People who cannot see it, have to rely on “the measurables” and to them I say too bad – enjoy your Troy Williamsons.(If Denver and another team really wanted Mark Sanchez, this might be the spot they try to move into.  If I could drop back say to Jacksonville’s 8^th pick I might still be able to get Crabtree and pick up something on the side.  Otherwise I think I’m staying put.)
Pick: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
5) Cleveland Browns
Here’s the first spot where I would like to make a trade.  The best player on the board is Eugene Monroe but I just drafted Joe Thomas two years ago and my bad football team has much more pressing needs.  We were a seive against the run last year and we couldn’t rush the passer.  I’d like to address those situations but I don’t believe there is anyone with those capabilities in their repertoire worthy of the 5^th pick.  I probably could slide back, swapping with someone who really wants Monroe and still pick up Raji or Orakpo.  That would be the best case scenario in my opinion.  But if that weren’t possible I’d go with the defender with whom I felt the best about. (Here’s another place where Denver may try to move up if they really want Mark Sanchez.  I’d swap with them because I’m not sure any of the defensive players I’d be taking at this spot are worth the 5^th pick.)
Pick: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
6) Cincinnati Bengals
I sprint to the podium with Eugene Monroe’s name on the card.

Pick: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
7) Oakland Raiders
Here’s where it gets interesting.  It’s too early for Maclin in my opinion.  I think he’ll probably be a productive pro but not sure if he’ll ever be a #1 receiver and in order for me to take a WR in the top 10 I want him to be a #1.  I’d like a tackle but the best on the board is Andre Smith.  I don’t want to draft him because I think he’s immature and it’s too early to draft any of the other tackles.  I decide to go out on a limb.  My defensive line could use a makeover.  Though it’s risky, there’s a player on the board who’s got the potential to be a great outside pass rusher in a 4-3 scheme.  I would take a chance on him.

Pick: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
8) Jacksonville Jaguars
Our once excellent defense has lost a lot of key personnel and is no longer formidable.  The O line has been decimated by injuries and off field problems.  People who still project this team as a threat in the AFC are high.  The Jags will surely be in the basement of the AFC South next season and to think that can be changed by who they draft at this position is either stupidity or wishful thinking.  We’ve been really bad at picking receivers but I’m not going to try and correct the problem by reaching for Maclin.  Instead I’m picking Marc Sanchez at this position unless someone offers me the world in a trade.  Garrard is serviceable but never will be a top tier QB in my opinion.  So I’m looking to start over.  I can snag Sanchez here and let him develop behind Garrard.  Meanwhile, with the rest of this draft and subsequent drafts I can go about steadily rebuilding the team.  The key is to have the team peaking when Sanchez has developed enough to take over the helm.

Pick: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
9) Green Bay Packers
The defense needs help and the team is switching to a 3-4.  I see Everette Brown being mentioned in this spot on a lot mock drafts.  While that makes sense to me, I’ve got the urge to go in a completely different and unexpected direction.  I picture the Packers offense in the late season with a big and fast running back pounding defenses on the frozen tundra.  I picture how that may make things easier on Aaron Rodgers.  Unless my coaches see a way to fit Rey Maualuga into our defense, I take Beenie Wells.

Pick:  Chris “Beenie” Wells, RB, The Ohio St.

10) San Francisco 49ers
Coach Singletary wants to hit people in the mouth and I’d like to provide him with players in which to do that.  I’m looking at the board and the first name that jumps out is Maualuga.  However, I already got P. Willis manning my MLB position so it doesn’t make much sense to grab the SC backer.  If the coaches wanted to get creative and go 3-4, or perhaps try to convert Maualuga to outside backer I’d oblige them and take him.  Short of that, I’m looking for a pass rusher.  I got excited about Robert Ayers during Senior Bowl week.  I know Mike Mayock thinks very highly of Ayres.  I know that we are perhaps in the minority on this point.  But I trust my gut and make him my pick.

Pick: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
11) Buffalo Bills
Obvious to anyone who’s read my above entries knows that I think highly of Rey Maualuga.  I don’t understand why he has dropped in so many mock drafts.  What?  Just because he’s missed some tackles while going for the kill shot and because he strained his hammy running the 40 in Indy?  I don’t care about that.  I see a guy who plays like his hair is on fire.  I’ve just picked up T.O. and now I can add some excitement to the defensive side of the ball with this pick.

Pick:  Ray Maualuga, LB, USC
12) Denver Broncos
I really don’t want any part of this team.  The McDaniel v. Cutler battle has soured all hope for a quick recovery from this franchise’s recent swoon.  I have a hard time “role playing” as Denver’s GM because I would never let this whole debacle occur on my football team.  Not that Cutler is a saint, but I believe McDaniel’s youth is a primary factor in his inability to handle the situation in a more consiliatory manner.  But for now I’m just going to pretend that I either keep Cutler or trade him for later picks.  With this pick I start the big task of trying to rebuild the defense.  I want someone with balast to anchor the line.  The guy I see who best fills this role is Peria Jerry.

(Post Cutler trade update:  If I don’t make a trade I make the same pick.  As I stated above, I do not like the position of this team at all.  Even with these 2 1^st round picks I think I now have a much bigger mountain to climb to make this a good team again.  I don’t think these picks are enough.)
Pick:  Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
13) Washington Redskins
I hate to break it to Mr. Snyder but even with his latest spending spree, the team is really not any closer to being a championship football team than it was last year.  The team is strong on both sides of the ball but is not going to elevate its standing until either Jason Campbell elevates his play or the Redskins replace him with someone who can.  Jim Zorn worked some magic and had Campbell playing much better than he had under the Gibbs regime but there is still some way to go.  Being that the Redskins’ success hinges on what happens at the QB position and the team has no specific area of need, I’m freed up to take the BAA on the board. (I don’t disagree with those who think they could use more help at the WR position, however I’m not going to chase with another early draft pick when I’ve got two young guys I drafted last year whose full potential has yet to be explored.)  My concerns about Andre Smith are not as great when I’m not using a top 10 pick and furthermore, if he never becomes a top left tackle he should at the very least add depth to the O line.

Pick: Andre Smith OT, Alabama
14) New Orleans Saints
In my mock draft, Beenie Wells is off the board, but even if he wasn’t I would not take him with the Saints selection in spite of the fact that some people feel he is the perfect replacement for Deuce McAllister.  You might ask why I would select him at #9 with the Packers pick, but not at #14 for the Saints.  Both teams are similarly built with good passing games and bad defenses.  My answer is that Aaron Rogers is young and the Packers have time to continue building their team piece by piece.  On the other hand, Drew Brees is in his prime.  The Saints have a chance to be a championship team right now if they can somehow improve their defense and they should throw as many resources as they can to fix it.  I hate the fact that I have only 1 pick in the first 2 rounds in which to try and improve the defense but can’t do anything about it except take the strongest defender left on the board.

Pick: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
15) Houston Texans
I think the Texans have sufficiently addressed their needs along the D Line in free agency.  There is a nice critical mass of talent that’s come together on this team and I would just try to continue to add to that.  Looking at the board there are some enticing players still available.  At first I penciled in Vontae Davis in this spot trying to round out the defense.  But then the thought of putting Maclin opposite Andre Johnson to create a lethal combination came to mind and that’s just too an enticing a proposition to pass up.

Pick: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
16) San Diego Chargers
I had Maclin penciled into this spot until I swooped in with the Texans and took him away.  Now I have to go back to the drawing board.  I think the obvious solution is to take Percy Harvin.  Though I’m a little concerned that he’s somewhat duplicative of Darren Sproules, getting some speed at the wide out position should be a priority for this team.

Pick: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

17) NY Jets
I can see why they would be interested in Cutler.  I’d give away this pick and more to get him.  But assuming that’s not going to happen and that there isn’t really a QB worthy at this spot in the draft I’m going to try and give Rob Ryan another toy to play with on his defense.

Pick: Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.
18) Denver Broncos
Without trading the pick I go with the biggest beast on the board.
Pick: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I am not drafting Josh Freeman with this pick.  I don’t want to groom a QB who looks to be no better than Washington’s Jason Campbell.  Besides, I just fired the head coach who was my resident QB tutor.  I don’t think any of the WRs left are worthy of this high of a pick so I’ll turn to another team need and pick Vontae Davis who by all accounts would be considered a very good value at this spot.

Pick: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
20) Detroit Lions
I don’t expect the magical results the Falcons experienced when they went QB/OT in last year’s draft, but it’s still a pretty good formula.  The decision is between Eben Britten and Michael Oher.  Oher may have more god given talent but there are some questions about his drive and work ethic.  Having taken Stafford at #1, the Lions cannot afford to miss with this pick and thus I go with the less risky of the two options.

Pick: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
21) Philadelphia Eagles
A new weapon for Donovan is in order here, and there are plenty of receivers to choose from.  The problem with the wide receivers available is that I don’t see any of them developing into a pure #1 receiver.  All will probably be more productive if they can be paired with a good veteran receiver.  So I’m going to give Donovan a different sort of target.  With his great hands and big size, Brandon Pettigrew is going to be a beast in the red zone.  That’s just what Donovan needs.

Pick: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.
22) Minnesota Vikings
This is a tough spot to pick.  The Vikings need immediate QB help and are not going to find it in this year’s draft.  They could go with Freeman, however I think getting the QB of the future right now doesn’t make any sense.  So let’s just suppose that somehow Rosenfels plays better than he ever has before – not a likely scenario.  Now where is the next area of need for the team?  They could use a right tackle but it’s a little early to select one.  They could use a replacement for Sharper but I can’t expect a rookie to come in and fill that role.  They could use another end to go opposite Jared Allen and truly make their defense formidable but all of those players are off the board already.  Finally, they could use a wide receiver but I’m not sure anyone on the board at this time is going to step in and be better than Sydney Rice.  I guess my plan would be to take William Beatty and have him play right tackle for now, and move to LT when McKinley moves on.
Pick:William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
23) New England Patriots
I’d probably select whoever Bill Bellichek told me he wanted.  He seems to have a preference for cerebral linebackers.

Pick: Clay Matthews, LB, USC
24) Atlanta Falcons
I don’t think it such a horrible thing that the Eagles took Pettigrew ahead of us.  This gives us a chance to continue to fill out our roster with upgraded talent.  We can get a TE for Matt Ryan later in the draft.  For now, it’s time to shore up the defense.

Pick: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
25) Miami Dolphins
Mock draft prognosticators kill me.  Their eyes tell them they are looking at a sure talent, but they don’t trust their eyes.  They rely on the tape measure and stop watch.  Haven’t they noticed that more mistakes have been made through the years drafting receivers based on 40 times than for probably any other position?  It’s ridiculous.  My eyes tell me there is a WR on the board who is a completely safe pick and that’s Brian Robiskie.  What’s the deal with the line “he’s a safe 2^nd round pick?”  Neither Ginn nor Bess have a lot of size so I want to give whichever Chad ends up playing QB this season a big target who will catch everything thrown at him.

Pick: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio St.
26) Baltimore Ravens
I know there will be lobbying to pick the fast receiver from the local school, Heyward-Bey but I can’t do that for fear of being Troy Williamsoned.  I go away from the stop watch and pick the receiver who I feel is a little more polished.

Pick: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

27) Indianapolis Colts
I’ve seen more than one mock draft has the Colts taking Evander Hood with this selection.  I can’t argue with that.  It’s a position of need and Ziggy has a great motor with a killer spin move to boot!

Pick: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri
28) Philadelphia Eagles
The two wide receivers left on the board who have been mentioned as possible first rounders are Heyward-Bey and Hakeem Nicks.  I have strong doubts either can step into the NFL and be productive from the word go.  Instead of saddling McNabb with another young receiver to get used to, I give Westbrook a tag team partner.

Pick: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
29) NY Giants
I’m loaded on defense with some key free agent acquisitions.  I can make up for the loss of Derek Ward in a later round.  My most glaring need is receiver if Plaxico can’t play.  I’m sure Eli would like someone a little closer to Plaxico’s size to snare his wayward passes, but there isn’t anyone like that on the board.  So I hope to make due with what’s out there.

Pick: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
30) Tennessee Titans
If Kevin Mawae is going to retire then the pick here is easy – Alex Mack.  In fact, that might be the right way to go anyway.  But I’ve got a feeling that the coaches will want to give Vince Young one more chance to pick up the game.  In order to help him, I’d like to give him a security blanket tight end, like a Wychek for McNair, or a Crumpler for Vick.  I could see Sean Nelson filling this role perfectly.  But it goes against my better judgment to reach with a first round pick especially for a tight end.  So instead I see a highly ranked player has fallen to me and it’s in a position of need so I grab him.

Pick: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, The Ohio St.
31) Arizona Cardinals
I no longer see E. James as a factor.  I like T. Hightower from an effort standpoint but don’t really care for his running style.  Everywhere else the roster is pretty solid which make this pick easy.

Pick: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
32) Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ achille’s heel was their offensive line last season and they still won the Super Bowl.  Fortunately, they’ve got Big Ben who is a Houdini in the pocket and an amazing defense.  It would be nice if Ben didn’t have to run around quite so much.  It appears that center was the most glaring weak spot in the O line  It also appears that Alex Mack is the best center available making this the most agreed upon selection of all the mock drafts I’ve looked at.

Pick: Alex Mack, C, Cal
33) Detroit Lions
I was surprised to hear Mike Mayock say that Jarron Gilbert was not good on tape.  From my understanding he was one of the leaders in the country in TFLs and he blew up several plays in the backfield in the game against Boise St. that I watched.  Because San Jose St.’s roster lacked size Gilbert was forced to play tackle.  I think he has prototype size for a 4-3 defensive end in the NFL and his experience at tackle means he could also probably play a 3-4 defensive end.  I don’t think he’ll be around when we draft again in the 3^rd round and I’d rather take him over some of the tweener DE/LBs left on the board.

Pick: Jarron Gilbert, DT/DE, San Jose St.
34) New England Patriots
This is strange.  I picked Clay Matthews with the 23^rd pick over Brian Cushing because his smoothness at the combine gave me much more confidence he could handle the step up in competition.  Now the way things have fallen I could pick up Cushing as well and they would remain teammates.  But I think it’s time to start looking at the best available athlete instead of filling a need.  Though I’m not a big fan of all of these undersized pass rush specialists, it would appear that Aaron Maybin has slipped as far down in the draft as he could possibly go.

Pick:  Aaron Maybin, DE/LB, Penn St.
35) St. Louis Rams
The prospect of one of the top six tackles sliding to this spot makes my pick of Aaron Curry make even more sense.
Pick: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
36) Cleveland Browns
It’s between Brian Cushing and LeSean McCoy.  Though I have more confidence that McCoy will become a starter in the NFL than Cushing, I can also see that it will be tougher to find help for my defense late in the draft than a solid running back.

Pick: Brian Cushing, LB, USC
37) Seattle Seahawks
I could select LeSean McCoy to try and improve the running game or I could try and add depth to the O Line.  In this situation I draft my blockers first and my runners later.

Pick: Max Unger, C, Oregon
38) Cincinnati Bengals
I want to get the best defender left on the board.  It’s really tough however deciding who that is at this point.  I can be swayed in the direction of Laurinitis though I’m not sure he’s got enough athleticism to compete at this level.  Or I can be swayed in favor of Larry English even though he might have to play out of position on my defense.  In the end I think I would select Laurinitis and hope my doubts are unfounded.

Pick: James Laurinitis, LB, The Ohio St.
39) Jacksonville Jaguars
Wide receiver is a position of need and the speediest receiver is still on the board.  But given the Jags propensity to come up with duds at the receiver position since the glory days of Smith and McCardell, I’d almost be afraid to pick Heyward-Bey with this selection for fear of perpetuating past failures.  But alas, I cannot make my decisions based on superstition.

Pick: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
40) Oakland Raiders
I’m glad the Jags took Heyward-Bey off the board so I don’t feel obligated to select him.  I see a guy on the board in a position of need who is trying to hit people as hard as Jack Tatum once did.

Pick: Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan
41) Green Bay Packers
I would have to consult my defensive coaches on this one, but the fact that Green Bay is switching to 3-4 makes me think Clint Sintim is a natural fit for this spot.

Pick: Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia
42) Buffalo Bills
With T.O. and Lee Evans I’m not going to worry about the fact that the Bills are weak at Tight End.  There won’t be enough balls to go around anyway.  I’d like to give Edwards as much protection as possible and take the best O lineman left on the board.

Pick: Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
43) San Francisco 49ers
Here’s where the problem of not getting to see the game tape really starts rear it’s ugly head.  I want to get the best O lineman left on the board, but I have to rely on someone else’s evaluation.  But that’s the best I can do.

Pick: Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina

44) Miami Dolphins
Since I didn’t pick up a corner in the first round, and there’s one staring me in the face as the BAA, I take him.

Pick: Sean Smith, CB, Utah
45) NY Giants
My running back depth problem has been conveniently solved by the fact that LeSean McCoy has slipped this deep into the 2^nd round.

Pick: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt
46) Houston Texans
Since I went crazy and picked Maclin in the 1^st round it’s now time to make a more sensible pick.  The choices at linebacker look a little meager at this stage so I try for some offensive line help.

Pick: Eric Wood, C, Louisville
47) New England Patriots
To have so many picks and so few needs makes finding a target difficult.  I’ll go with more help for the defense.

Pick: Patrick Chung, S, Oregon
48) Denver Broncos
I had Ron Brace as my pick prior to the Cutler trade.  Now I’ve picked up two defensive linemen in the first round.  I have to ask myself if it’s overkill to pick yet another in the 2^nd.  The change to 3-4 means the Broncos should be looking for a nose tackle and Brace is one of the only players left on the board who could fill this role.  The question becomes whether or not Peria Jerry fits into the nose position or is a better fit in the “5” technique.  With Champ Bailey’s health being spotty and with no other permanent starter on the other side I decide to address another need pick a potential playmaker.
Pick: Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
49) Chicago Bears
Wow.  I originally had Freeman in this position.  The Cutler trade definitely changes that. I’ve also picked up Orlando Pace filling another area of need.  It’s obvious that the biggest area of need for the Bears is at wide receiver but I hesitate to select one at this position because I have a feeling that with what is left, the same calibre of receiver is going to be available in the 3^rd and 4^th rounds as is available now.  I’d rather add size and depth in the trenches.
Pick: Ron Brace, DT, Boston College
50) Cleveland Browns
The young quarterbacks will need the added security of a good pass receiving TE with the departure of Winslow.

Pick: Sean Nelson, TE, Southern Miss
51) Dallas Cowboys
I would not fool around and pick Pat White here.  I don’t think that’s a luxury this team can afford.  The dismantling done to us by the Eagles in the last game of the season shows we’re not as good as we may have thought we were.  The absence of Roy Williams in the secondary was one of the reasons the team slid and now that he’s gone a replacement is in order.

Pick: William Moore, S, Missouri
52) Philadelphia Eagles
Since I burnt my 1^st round picks on flash, it’s time to bolster the trenches.  I could go offensively or defensively and look for a player with lots of upside.

Pick: Paul Kruger, DE, Utah
53) NY Jets
The Jets have 3 receivers with similar abilities in Cotchery, Stuckey and Clowney.  Adding a #1 receiver would be nice but there isn’t anything like that on the board.  Furthermore, it’s not like they even know who’s going to be throwing the ball to them at this point.  The best thing to do is to continue to shore up the defense.

Pick: Fili Moala, DT, USC
54) Minnesota Vikings
Previously had the Vikes getting Tyson Jackson in the 1^st round and addressing the right tackle position with this pick.  But now that doesn’t make much since.  Some would suggest this would be a good spot for Freeman.  I say if he’s still available in the 3^rd round I might think about it.  But for now, I’m still hoping I can find someone with this pick who will help my team next year.
Pick: Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama
55) Atlanta Falcons
Now it’s time to come back and get a TE in for Matt Ryan. 

Pick: Clint Ingram, TE, Florida
56) Miami Dolphins
It looks like there could be a run on tight ends at this point and we could use an upgrade at this position.

Pick: Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
57) Baltimore Ravens
My team is loaded and my success will rely upon the continued development of Flacco.  I’ve already picked a receiver and I’ve had some losses on the D in free agency.  This maybe reach this early but I start looking for a Bart Scott replacement.
Pick: Marcus Freeman, LB, The Ohio St.
58) New England Patriots
I think it might be a little early to pick a guy who is projected to play a position he has never played before, but I think the Patriots like these versatile types of players.

Pick:  Connor Barwin, DE, Cincinnati

59) Carolina Panthers

What a long wait for a first pick.  I don’t think they will be able to find a player who will make an immediate impact at this spot.  I think Carolina’s defense was not as good as everyone made it out to be and it was exposed by good teams at the end of the season.  Furthermore, they have a great running game and one of the best receivers in the league.  The objective now is to keep their best player (Julius Peppers) and look for more help for the defense.

Pick: Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn
60) NY Giants
With a loaded line up it’s time to select another BAA.
Pick: Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma
61) Indianapolis Colts
If Harrison doesn’t come back to the fold, there may be a temptation to go for someone like Iglesias here.  I think however there will be a number of players with similar abilities available later in the draft.  Also, this team still needs more help on defense and I don’t think has the luxury of picking up another toy for Peyton.

Pick: Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond
62) Tennessee Titans
There’s been a run on tight ends so maybe it’s time to go that direction.  I’m not really impressed with what’s left however.  I’ve never been impressed with any of the Titans receivers since Derrick Mason went away.  It confounds me that Coach Fisher settles for mediocrity at that position.  Gage and McCareins???  Yikes.  It doesn’t help his young QB any. (pun not intended) I see the receivers on the board right now that would be a potential upgrade in Iglesias, Williams, and Gibson.  But because of the early run on receivers, there will be good 2^nd tier receivers available in later rounds.  I’ll grab the most intriguing guy of them, all and hope the Titans luck with drafting guys with fast 40 times at the combine continues.

Pick: Johnny Knox, WR, Abilene Christian
63) Arizona Cardinals
Not many CBs were taken early because of an overall poor performance in the 40 times at the combine.  I think there will be a run on them now.  The Cards can have their pick of the litter.

Pick: Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
64) Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers need help at corner also and now is a good time to select one.

Pick: Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon

2009 NFL Mock Draft
 

This is my first stab at doing this.  I think the main reason I’ve never done this in the past is that I’ve never really felt like I’ve had enough information about all of the players to make any sort of authoritative comments.  But I thought it would be a fun exercise to pick who I would draft instead of trying to “predict” who teams are going to draft.  Even after seeing many of these players in actual games and religiously watching all of the NFL Network’s draft shows, I still do not have all of the information I would like.  This forces me, especially in the 2^nd round, to rely on other people’s assessments.  If I got to watch all of the film I might come up with something completely different, but this is the best I can do with what’s available to me.  One other point: there will undoubtedly be trades on draft day.  There are teams who I think should try to trade their pick, but since I’m the only one doing this, it would be too easy for me to make one-sided trades.  Therefore one of my parameters is that no trades are available.

Now to the draft!

1) Detroit Lions
To me this is a no brainer.  The fact that the Lions also hold the 20^th and 33^rd picks in the draft give them the luxury of taking a shot at Matt Stafford.  I laugh at the people who are afraid to take a QB with a high draft pick because if you miss you “set the franchise back a few years.”  This is thinking by cliche!  God gave you a brain people … USE IT!!!  One, the Lions went 0-16.  You cannot set a franchise back any further.  Two, while many first round QBs never cut the mustard, even fewer (Tom Brady excepted) drafted in later rounds ever make an impact in the league.  Peyton, Donovan, Eli, Ben, Rivers, Cutler, Ryan, Flacco – if you want someone of this caliber, you are usually going to have to expend a 1^st round pick.  Otherwise you risk having someone like Tavaris Jackson as your starting QB.  Yikes!  Talk about setting back a franchise.  If I’m the Lions I’m willing to take the risk of swinging and missing for a QB.  What have I got to lose?  Furthermore, I can “cover” the perceived risk by making “safer” picks at 22 and 33.  As far as evaluating Stafford goes, he’s got all the physical tools and he’s got a great attitude.  Moreover, he welcomes the thought of playing in Detroit.  He’s not going to pull the Eli Manning prima donna act on me.  That’s enough for me.  Some people may think Mark Sanchez will be a better QB.  Fair enough.  I like him too.  I just have a little more confidence in Stafford.

Pick: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia.
2) St. Louis Rams
Most mock drafts have the Rams picking one of the top offensive tackles with this pick.  I wonder if this is a knee-jerk reaction to setting Orlando Pace free.  While I do see the need to get someone to replace Pace, I think the Rams have needs all over the board.  The whole team stinks.  I’d be more inclined to pick the best player on the board and I think that is Aaron Curry.  First, I’d want to carefully review the game tapes to make sure he’s as good a tackler as he is an athlete.  Once I’m convinced of this, picking him makes more sense to me than picking a tackle.  I think a great defender has a bigger impact on turning a team into a winning one than a good starting tackle.  Furthermore, I think the opportunity to acquire a great defender comes along less frequently than the opportunity to acquire a good starting tackle.  I know I’ll have to address the O line problems at some point but I can’t pass up the chance to get a potentially special player for my defense.

Pick: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
3) Kansas City Chiefs
I’m miffed that the Rams took Curry but I console myself by getting a tackle to pair with last year’s rookie Branden Albert and feel good about the book ends I’ll have for the O Line for the next 10 years.

Pick: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
4) Seattle Seahawks
Once the Seahawks picked up T.J. Houshmanzadeh I saw a lot of mock drafts change from Crabtree at this spot to one of the top tackles.  I think that would be a mistake.  While T.J. is a very good receiver he’s never had to be the #1 guy.  Furthermore, he’s in his 30s.  What I am saying is that the Seahawks are far from set at the WR position.  But picture a receiving corps of T.J., Crabtree, Branch and Burleson.  Hasselback would be drooling all over himself.  You also need to consider the fact that while W. Jones will need a replacement someday, that day is not today.  Cross that bridge when you get there.  Watching Crabtree play and seeing him catch the ball I know he is something special and I don’t need to know his damn 40 time to confirm that.  People who cannot see it, have to rely on “the measurables” and to them I say too bad – enjoy your Troy Williamsons.

Pick: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
5) Cleveland Browns
Here’s the first spot where I would like to make a trade.  The best player on the board is Eugene Monroe but I just drafted Joe Thomas two years ago and my bad football team has much more pressing needs.  We were a seive against the run last year and we couldn’t rush the passer.  I’d like to address those situations but I don’t believe there is anyone with those capabilities in their repertoire worthy of the 5^th pick.  I probably could slide back, swapping with someone who really wants Monroe and still pick up Raji or Orakpo.  That would be the best case scenario in my opinion.  But if that weren’t possible I’d go with the defender with whom I felt the best about.

Pick: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
6) Cincinnati Bengals
I sprint to the podium with Eugene Monroe’s name on the card.

Pick: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
7) Oakland Raiders
Here’s where it gets interesting.  It’s too early for Maclin in my opinion.  I think he’ll probably be a productive pro but not sure if he’ll ever be a #1 receiver and in order for me to take a WR in the top 10 I want him to be a #1.  I’d like a tackle but the best on the board is Andre Smith.  I don’t want to draft him because I think he’s immature and it’s too early to draft any of the other tackles.  I decide to go out on a limb.  My defensive line could use a makeover.  Though it’s risky, there’s a player on the board who’s got the potential to be a great outside pass rusher in a 4-3 scheme.  I would take a chance on him.

Pick: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
8) Jacksonville Jaguars
Our once excellent defense has lost a lot of key personnel and is no longer formidable.  The O line has been decimated by injuries and off field problems.  People who still project this team as a threat in the AFC are high.  The Jags will surely be in the basement of the AFC South next season and to think that can be changed by who they draft at this position is either stupidity or wishful thinking.  We’ve been really bad at picking receivers but I’m not going to try and correct the problem by reaching for Maclin.  Instead I’m picking Marc Sanchez at this position unless someone offers me the world in a trade.  Garrard is serviceable but never will be a top tier QB in my opinion.  So I’m looking to start over.  I can snag Sanchez here and let him develop behind Garrard.  Meanwhile, with the rest of this draft and subsequent drafts I can go about steadily rebuilding the team.  The key is to have the team peaking when Sanchez has developed enough to take over the helm.

Pick: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
9) Green Bay Packers
The defense needs help and the team is switching to a 3-4.  I see Everette Brown being mentioned in this spot on a lot mock drafts.  While that makes sense to me, I’ve got the urge to go in a completely different and unexpected direction.  I picture the Packers offense in the late season with a big and fast running back pounding defenses on the frozen tundra.  I picture how that may make things easier on Aaron Rodgers.  Unless my coaches see a way to fit Rey Maualuga into our defense, I take Beenie Wells.

Pick:  Chris “Beenie” Wells, RB, The Ohio St.

10) San Francisco 49ers
Coach Singletary wants to hit people in the mouth and I’d like to provide him with players in which to do that.  I’m looking at the board and the first name that jumps out is Maualuga.  However, I already got P. Willis manning my MLB position so it doesn’t make much sense to grab the SC backer.  If the coaches wanted to get creative and go 3-4, or perhaps try to convert Maualuga to outside backer I’d oblige them and take him.  Short of that, I’m looking for a pass rusher.  I got excited about Robert Ayers during Senior Bowl week.  I know Mike Mayock thinks very highly of Ayres.  I know that we are perhaps in the minority on this point.  But I trust my gut and make him my pick.

Pick: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee
11) Buffalo Bills
Obvious to anyone who’s read my above entries knows that I think highly of Rey Maualuga.  I don’t understand why he has dropped in so many mock drafts.  What?  Just because he’s missed some tackles while going for the kill shot and because he strained his hammy running the 40 in Indy?  I don’t care about that.  I see a guy who plays like his hair is on fire.  I’ve just picked up T.O. and now I can add some excitement to the defensive side of the ball with this pick.

Pick:  Ray Maualuga, LB, USC
12) Denver Broncos
I really don’t want any part of this team.  The McDaniel v. Cutler battle has soured all hope for a quick recovery from this franchise’s recent swoon.  I have a hard time “role playing” as Denver’s GM because I would never let this whole debacle occur on my football team.  Not that Cutler is a saint, but I believe McDaniel’s youth is a primary factor in his inability to handle the situation in a more consiliatory manner.  But for now I’m just going to pretend that I either keep Cutler or trade him for later picks.  With this pick I start the big task of trying to rebuild the defense.  I want someone with balast to anchor the line.  The guy I see who best fills this role is Peria Jerry.

(written before Pat Bowlen’s announcement to trade Cutler on 3/31)

Pick:  Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
13) Washington Redskins
I hate to break it to Mr. Snyder but even with his latest spending spree, the team is really not any closer to being a championship football team than it was last year.  The team is strong on both sides of the ball but is not going to elevate its standing until either Jason Campbell elevates his play or the Redskins replace him with someone who can.  Jim Zorn worked some magic and had Campbell playing much better than he had under the Gibbs regime but there is still some way to go.  Being that the Redskins’ success hinges on what happens at the QB position and the team has no specific area of need, I’m freed up to take the BAA on the board. (I don’t disagree with those who think they could use more help at the WR position, however I’m not going to chase with another early draft pick when I’ve got two young guys I drafted last year whose full potential has yet to be explored.)  My concerns about Andre Smith are not as great when I’m not using a top 10 pick and furthermore, if he never becomes a top left tackle he should at the very least add depth to the O line.

Pick: Andre Smith OT, Alabama
14) New Orleans Saints
In my mock draft, Beenie Wells is off the board, but even if he wasn’t I would not take him with the Saints selection in spite of the fact that some people feel he is the perfect replacement for Deuce McAllister.  You might ask why I would select him at #9 with the Packers pick, but not at #14 for the Saints.  Both teams are similarly built with good passing games and bad defenses.  My answer is that Aaron Rogers is young and the Packers have time to continue building their team piece by piece.  On the other hand, Drew Brees is in his prime.  The Saints have a chance to be a championship team right now if they can somehow improve their defense and they should throw as many resources as they can to fix it.  I hate the fact that I have only 1 pick in the first 2 rounds in which to try and improve the defense but can’t do anything about it except take the strongest defender left on the board.

Pick: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
15) Houston Texans
I think the Texans have sufficiently addressed their needs along the D Line in free agency.  There is a nice critical mass of talent that’s come together on this team and I would just try to continue to add to that.  Looking at the board there are some enticing players still available.  At first I penciled in Vontae Davis in this spot trying to round out the defense.  But then the thought of putting Maclin opposite Andre Johnson to create a lethal combination came to mind and that’s just too an enticing a proposition to pass up.

Pick: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
16) San Diego Chargers
I had Maclin penciled into this spot until I swooped in with the Texans and took him away.  Now I have to go back to the drawing board.  I think the obvious solution is to take Percy Harvin.  Though I’m a little concerned that he’s somewhat duplicative of Darren Sproules, getting some speed at the wide out position should be a priority for this team.

Pick: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

17) NY Jets
I can see why they would be interested in Cutler.  I’d give away this pick and more to get him.  But assuming that’s not going to happen and that there isn’t really a QB worthy at this spot in the draft I’m going to try and give Rob Ryan another toy to play with on his defense.

Pick: Everette Brown, DE, Florida St.
18) Chicago Bears
As can be seen with my pick for the Chiefs, I kind of like the idea of being set at the offensive tackle position for the foreseable future.  Wide receiver is also a need but it’s a deep class of receivers this year so I should be able to get capable help at that position later in the draft.  I’m going with offensive tackle and pair him with C. Williams as the bookends on my O line.  For some inexplicable reason, I just have more faith in William Beatty then the other available tackles.  I have no concrete evidence to support this.  It’s just a feeling.

Pick: William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I am not drafting Josh Freeman with this pick.  I don’t want to groom a QB who looks to be no better than Washington’s Jason Campbell.  Besides, I just fired the head coach who was my resident QB tutor.  I don’t think any of the WRs left are worthy of this high of a pick so I’ll turn to another team need and pick Vontae Davis who by all accounts would be considered a very good value at this spot.

Pick: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
20) Detroit Lions
I don’t expect the magical results the Falcons experienced when they went QB/OT in last year’s draft, but it’s still a pretty good formula.  The decision is between Eben Britten and Michael Oher.  Oher may have more god given talent but there are some questions about his drive and work ethic.  Having taken Stafford at #1, the Lions cannot afford to miss with this pick and thus I go with the less risky of the two options.

Pick: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
21) Philadelphia Eagles
A new weapon for Donovan is in order here, and there are plenty of receivers to choose from.  The problem with the wide receivers available is that I don’t see any of them developing into a pure #1 receiver.  All will probably be more productive if they can be paired with a good veteran receiver.  So I’m going to give Donovan a different sort of target.  With his great hands and big size, Brandon Pettigrew is going to be a beast in the red zone.  That’s just what Donovan needs.

Pick: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.
22) Minnesota Vikings
This team has to do something about its quarterback situation but the draft is not where I’d look for help.  Josh Freeman may develop into a quarterback but I’ve got a roster that I can win with right now and don’t have time to wait for the quarterback to develop.  The left end was a chink in the armor of the Viking D line last year as a result of Kenechi Udeze’s illness so I will pick Tyson Jackson in hopes of giving an anchor to that side of the line and making the Vikings defense truly formidable.

Pick: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
23) New England Patriots
I’d probably select whoever Bill Bellichek told me he wanted.  He seems to have a preference for cerebral linebackers.

Pick: Clay Matthews, LB, USC
24) Atlanta Falcons
I don’t think it such a horrible thing that the Eagles took Pettigrew ahead of us.  This gives us a chance to continue to fill out our roster with upgraded talent.  We can get a TE for Matt Ryan later in the draft.  For now, it’s time to shore up the defense.

Pick: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
25) Miami Dolphins
Mock draft prognosticators kill me.  Their eyes tell them they are looking at a sure talent, but they don’t trust their eyes.  They rely on the tape measure and stop watch.  Haven’t they noticed that more mistakes have been made through the years drafting receivers based on 40 times than for probably any other position?  It’s ridiculous.  My eyes tell me there is a WR on the board who is a completely safe pick and that’s Brian Robiskie.  What’s the deal with the line “he’s a safe 2^nd round pick?”  Neither Ginn nor Bess have a lot of size so I want to give whichever Chad ends up playing QB this season a big target who will catch everything thrown at him.

Pick: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio St.
26) Baltimore Ravens
I know there will be lobbying to pick the fast receiver from the local school, Heyward-Bey but I can’t do that for fear of being Troy Williamsoned.  I go away from the stop watch and pick the receiver who I feel is a little more polished.

Pick: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

27) Indianapolis Colts
I’ve seen more than one mock draft has the Colts taking Evander Hood with this selection.  I can’t argue with that.  It’s a position of need and Ziggy has a great motor with a killer spin move to boot!

Pick: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri
28) Philadelphia Eagles
The two wide receivers left on the board who have been mentioned as possible first rounders are Heyward-Bey and Hakeem Nicks.  I have strong doubts either can step into the NFL and be productive from the word go.  Instead of saddling McNabb with another young receiver to get used to, I give Westbrook a tag team partner.

Pick: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
29) NY Giants
I’m loaded on defense with some key free agent acquisitions.  I can make up for the loss of Derek Ward in a later round.  My most glaring need is receiver if Plaxico can’t play.  I’m sure Eli would like someone a little closer to Plaxico’s size to snare his wayward passes, but there isn’t anyone like that on the board.  So I hope to make due with what’s out there.

Pick: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
30) Tennessee Titans
If Kevin Mawae is going to retire then the pick here is easy – Alex Mack.  In fact, that might be the right way to go anyway.  But I’ve got a feeling that the coaches will want to give Vince Young one more chance to pick up the game.  In order to help him, I’d like to give him a security blanket tight end, like a Wychek for McNair, or a Crumpler for Vick.  I could see Sean Nelson filling this role perfectly.  But it goes against my better judgment to reach with a first round pick especially for a tight end.  So instead I see a highly ranked player has fallen to me and it’s in a position of need so I grab him.

Pick: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, The Ohio St.
31) Arizona Cardinals
I no longer see E. James as a factor.  I like T. Hightower from an effort standpoint but don’t really care for his running style.  Everywhere else the roster is pretty solid which make this pick easy.

Pick: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut
32) Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ achille’s heel was their offensive line last season and they still won the Super Bowl.  Fortunately, they’ve got Big Ben who is a Houdini in the pocket and an amazing defense.  It would be nice if Ben didn’t have to run around quite so much.  It appears that center was the most glaring weak spot in the O line  It also appears that Alex Mack is the best center available making this the most agreed upon selection of all the mock drafts I’ve looked at.

Pick: Alex Mack, C, Cal
33) Detroit Lions
I was surprised to hear Mike Mayock say that Jarron Gilbert was not good on tape.  From my understanding he was one of the leaders in the country in TFLs and he blew up several plays in the backfield in the game against Boise St. that I watched.  Because San Jose St.’s roster lacked size Gilbert was forced to play tackle.  I think he has prototype size for a 4-3 defensive end in the NFL and his experience at tackle means he could also probably play a 3-4 defensive end.  I don’t think he’ll be around when we draft again in the 3^rd round and I’d rather take him over some of the tweener DE/LBs left on the board.

Pick: Jarron Gilbert, DT/DE, San Jose St.
34) New England Patriots
This is strange.  I picked Clay Matthews with the 23^rd pick over Brian Cushing because his smoothness at the combine gave me much more confidence he could handle the step up in competition.  Now the way things have fallen I could pick up Cushing as well and they would remain teammates.  But I think it’s time to start looking at the best available athlete instead of filling a need.  Though I’m not a big fan of all of these undersized pass rush specialists, it would appear that Aaron Maybin has slipped as far down in the draft as he could possibly go.

Pick:  Aaron Maybin, DE/LB, Penn St.
35) St. Louis Rams
The prospect of one of the top six tackles sliding to this spot makes my pick of Aaron Curry make even more sense.
Pick: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
36) Cleveland Browns
It’s between Brian Cushing and LeSean McCoy.  Though I have more confidence that McCoy will become a starter in the NFL than Cushing, I can also see that it will be tougher to find help for my defense late in the draft than a solid running back.

Pick: Brian Cushing, LB, USC
37) Seattle Seahawks
I could select LeSean McCoy to try and improve the running game or I could try and add depth to the O Line.  In this situation I draft my blockers first and my runners later.

Pick: Max Unger, C, Oregon
38) Cincinnati Bengals
I want to get the best defender left on the board.  It’s really tough however deciding who that is at this point.  I can be swayed in the direction of Laurinitis though I’m not sure he’s got enough athleticism to compete at this level.  Or I can be swayed in favor of Larry English even though he might have to play out of position on my defense.  In the end I think I would select Laurinitis and hope my doubts are unfounded.

Pick: James Laurinitis, LB, The Ohio St.
39) Jacksonville Jaguars
Wide receiver is a position of need and the speediest receiver is still on the board.  But given the Jags propensity to come up with duds at the receiver position since the glory days of Smith and McCardell, I’d almost be afraid to pick Heyward-Bey with this selection for fear of perpetuating past failures.  But alas, I cannot make my decisions based on superstition.

Pick: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
40) Oakland Raiders
I’m glad the Jags took Heyward-Bey off the board so I don’t feel obligated to select him.  I see a guy on the board in a position of need who is trying to hit people as hard as Jack Tatum once did.

Pick: Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan
41) Green Bay Packers
I would have to consult my defensive coaches on this one, but the fact that Green Bay is switching to 3-4 makes me think Clint Sintim is a natural fit for this spot.

Pick: Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia
42) Buffalo Bills
With T.O. and Lee Evans I’m not going to worry about the fact that the Bills are weak at Tight End.  There won’t be enough balls to go around anyway.  I’d like to give Edwards as much protection as possible and take the best O lineman left on the board.

Pick: Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
43) San Francisco 49ers
Here’s where the problem of not getting to see the game tape really starts rear it’s ugly head.  I want to get the best O lineman left on the board, but I have to rely on someone else’s evaluation.  But that’s the best I can do.

Pick: Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina

44) Miami Dolphins
Since I didn’t pick up a corner in the first round, and there’s one staring me in the face as the BAA, I take him.

Pick: Sean Smith, CB, Utah
45) NY Giants
My running back depth problem has been conveniently solved by the fact that LeSean McCoy has slipped this deep into the 2^nd round.

Pick: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt
46) Houston Texans
Since I went crazy and picked Maclin in the 1^st round it’s now time to make a more sensible pick.  The choices at linebacker look a little meager at this stage so I try for some offensive line help.

Pick: Eric Wood, C, Louisville
47) New England Patriots
To have so many picks and so few needs makes finding a target difficult.  I’ll go with more help for the defense.

Pick: Patrick Chung, S, Oregon
48) Denver Broncos
Because size on the defensive line is a premium the Broncos should consider themselves lucky if Ron Brace is still available here even if he is only a run stuffer.

Pick: Ron Brace, DT, Boston College
49) Chicago Bears
I don’t think Josh Freeman will still be around in the 3^rd round while I might be able to find a starter at another position even as late as the 3^rd round.  Therefore, I take a chance at solving the Bears long term QB problems.

Pick: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St.
50) Cleveland Browns
The young quarterbacks will need the added security of a good pass receiving TE with the departure of Winslow.

Pick: Sean Nelson, TE, Southern Miss
51) Dallas Cowboys
I would not fool around and pick Pat White here.  I don’t think that’s a luxury this team can afford.  The dismantling done to us by the Eagles in the last game of the season shows we’re not as good as we may have thought we were.  The absence of Roy Williams in the secondary was one of the reasons the team slid and now that he’s gone a replacement is in order.

Pick: William Moore, S, Missouri
52) Philadelphia Eagles
Since I burnt my 1^st round picks on flash, it’s time to bolster the trenches.  I could go offensively or defensively and look for a player with lots of upside.

Pick: Paul Kruger, DE, Utah
53) NY Jets
The Jets have 3 receivers with similar abilities in Cotchery, Stuckey and Clowney.  Adding a #1 receiver would be nice but there isn’t anything like that on the board.  Furthermore, it’s not like they even know who’s going to be throwing the ball to them at this point.  The best thing to do is to continue to shore up the defense.

Pick: Fili Moala, DT, USC
54) Minnesota Vikings
Right tackle has been a weak spot in the line so it’s worth taking a chance on a massive player who might fill that role.

Pick: Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma
55) Atlanta Falcons
Now it’s time to come back and get a TE in for Matt Ryan. 

Pick: Clint Ingram, TE, Florida
56) Miami Dolphins
It looks like there could be a run on tight ends at this point and we could use an upgrade at this position.

Pick: Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina
57) Baltimore Ravens
Alphonso Smith has fallen much further than I had expected.  The Ravens gladly take him.

Pick: Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
58) New England Patriots
I think it might be a little early to pick a guy who is projected to play a position he has never played before, but I think the Patriots like these versatile types of players.

Pick:  Connor Barwin, DE, Cincinnati

59) Carolina Panthers

What a long wait for a first pick.  I don’t think they will be able to find a player who will make an immediate impact at this spot.  I think Carolina’s defense was not as good as everyone made it out to be and it was exposed by good teams at the end of the season.  Furthermore, they have a great running game and one of the best receivers in the league.  The objective now is to keep their best player (Julius Peppers) and look for more help for the defense.

Pick: Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn
60) NY Giants
With a loaded line up it’s time to select another BAA.

Pick: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
61) Indianapolis Colts
If Harrison doesn’t come back to the fold, there may be a temptation to go for someone like Iglesias here.  I think however there will be a number of players with similar abilities available later in the draft.  Also, this team still needs more help on defense and I don’t think has the luxury of picking up another toy for Peyton.

Pick: Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond
62) Tennessee Titans
There’s been a run on tight ends so maybe it’s time to go that direction.  I’m not really impressed with what’s left however.  I’ve never been impressed with any of the Titans receivers since Derrick Mason went away.  It confounds me that Coach Fisher settles for mediocrity at that position.  Gage and McCareins???  Yikes.  It doesn’t help his young QB any. (pun not intended) I see the receivers on the board right now that would be a potential upgrade in Iglesias, Williams, and Gibson.  But because of the early run on receivers, there will be good 2^nd tier receivers available in later rounds.  I’ll grab the most intriguing guy of them, all and hope the Titans luck with drafting guys with fast 40 times at the combine continues.

Pick: Johnny Knox, WR, Abilene Christian
63) Arizona Cardinals
Not many CBs were taken early because of an overall poor performance in the 40 times at the combine.  I think there will be a run on them now.  The Cards can have their pick of the litter.

Pick: Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
64) Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers need help at corner also and now is a good time to select one.

Pick: Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon

As I think about all of the information I’ve been able to gather about this year’s draft class, I’ve come to the conclusion that because it’s a little lean on blue chip talent, the drop off in talent from the top prospects all the way through the 3rd round is less precipitous than in years past.  Roughly from selection #10 through beyond selection #50 the variance in the probability that the player selected will become a bona fide starter in the NFL I see as very slight. Thus, I believe if you exchange drafting earlier for an extra pick, your chances of getting more quality players increase. 

Now for Oakland picking at 8, I believe if Crabtree or one of the top 3 tackles is still on the board they may still want to make that pick.  But if not, I think they might be able to trade down (maybe another team wants to move up to take QB Mark Sanchez ahead of Jacksonville) and add an extra late 1st round or 2nd round pick.  The Niners picking at 10 should definitely want to move down.  The players available at 10 aren’t going to be much more exciting than what’s available at 30.

I’d like to make a table to illustrate my theory, however I’m not sure how to work the tabs in this forum so I will improvise.

When ranking the players to be drafted, one should assign each player a probability of that player becoming a productive starting player.  The players who have a rating nearing 100% are obviously the ones who will be drafted first.  My assessment of this year’s draft class is that there are very few, maybe 5 or 6 who I could put in the high 90s.  Beyond that, there are quite a large number who are around .75.  In past years, by the time you get to the third round, you are looking at players with about a .50 probability of becoming affective starters.  I think I’d put that number a little higher this year.  Given these assumptions are true, trading down makes a whole lot of sense.  The scenarios below illustrate this.

Scenario 1 (Not trading down from the Niners spot at #10)

10th pick - .79 (chance of becoming a starter)

42nd pick - .67

74th pick - .55

(.79+.67+.55 = 201/3 = .67 or a 67% chance of obtaining 3 good players)

Scenario 2 (SF swaps a first round pick and picks up an extra late 2nd round pick)

29th pick - .70

42nd pick - .67

61st pick - .60

74th pick- .55

(.70 + .67 +.60 +.55 = 252/3 = .84 or an 84% chance of getting 3 good players)

I’m obviously no mathematician and this may not make perfect sense, but it should indicate that taking more players in the early rounds increases the chances of getting more good players than picking earlier.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

For about 10 solid days, I genuinely became interested in the Bertone designed Ferrari 308 GT4. Mind you it’s not the prettiest Ferrari that ever graced Maranello. Heck, it didn’t even bear the Ferrari name for several years until dealers decided to stick them on (around 1976) to help move the cars.

The early 308 performed exceptionally well for its time. I won’t describe any reviews here as I’m sure there are better write-ups somewhere on the internet. However, even it took 72 hours before I found any appreciation for its looks.

I like Bertone. I like the school of Bertone. I own a Delorean - designed by Giugiaro, who developed his style from Bertone. You can tell from the 308 GT4 that it followed the “folded paper” school of art… Delorean…. Lamborghini Countach… Esprit… Aston Martin Lagonda… you get the picture. But even though I had an appreciation for the wedge look, it didn’t sit right on a Ferrari.

Needless to say, I snapped out of my 10 day liking of the 308 GT4. I also realized that Ferrari’s experiments away from Pininfarina’s designs were necessary. They were necessary because we all need to be reminded of how beautiful the 246GT and the 308 GTS/GTB are (and everything else after, of course).

However, like an unwanted puppy from a litter of pure-bred dogs, the 308 GT4 did gain my sympathy. It’s like the red-headed cousin that nobody wanted to play it - and you felt bad for it. The 308 came out during the 70s oil crisis, probably the worst time to make cars. Tack on the emissions restrictions and you’ve got a choked expensive car. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Ferrari released a 208 GT4 (a 1994cc engine POS) - yikes!!!. And right next to it in the same showroom floor is the sexy 308 GTB/GTS (later on the 512 BB). Had it not been born a Ferrari, it may have been a contender.

In 2009, the 308 GT4 is just an “also-ran” - no surprise. It doesn’t even have notoriety (at least the Ferrari Mondial is hated by many - some emotion is better than none). Depending on condition, I would value this car from $10k to $27k (if the condition makes it less than $10k, you probably don’t want it). You have a 30+ year old car that requires a high-caliber paint job, some interior work, mechanicals - that could run from $10k to $20k. And if the most you’ll get back is $27k, then it better be a labor of love for you.

It would never gain more in value than it’s sibling 308s hovering at about 30k (unless it has a celebrity history and in impeccable original shape). However, if the 308 GT4 does bring about some childhood dreams, then it’s always worth a look because, hey, it’s a Ferrari after all.

Did I hear this correctly during bowl week?  Were announcers actually discussing the idea of adding one more game at the end of the BCS to determine a National Champion?  Are people really this stupid??????  What makes them think that one more game would do anything to make less controversial an inherently controversial system?  This year is the perfect example as to just how dumb an idea of adding one more game would be.  Regardless of which team wins the “National Championship” game between Florida and Oklahoma, who would they play next?  USC?  Utah?  What if Texas whipped up on Ohio St.?  Wouldn’t they be deserving of a chance?  And if at the same time, Oklahoma managed to upset Florida, would that mean Texas would have to beat Oklahoma for a second time to be crowned champion?  It’s ridiculous.  It’s still subjective and anytime you have a subjective determination there will be disagreement.

If it is so important to fairly determine a National Champion (can you name the last 10 … no make that 5 National Champions in Men’s basketball without looking it up?  No?  I guess maybe it’s not as important as everyone makes it out to be.) the only system that would work would be a non-subjective playoff system. 

My proposal for a playoff system would clear things up and not extend the season and would not spoil the tradition and pageantry of the bowl games.  You take 8 conference champions and put them in a playoff that runs on the same weekends that the other college football divisions are conducting their playoff and when FBS is taking a powder.  Four games the first weekend, two the second.  The results of the 6 games determine which bowls those 8 teams play in.  Obviously, the two teams that won both of their games play for the National Championship in one of the traditional New Year’s Day bowls. (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta, etc. which could be done on a rotating basis)

Admittedly, there would be a small bit of ambiguity when determining which 8 conference champions advance to the playoffs but football does not have the luxury of being able to add games ad nauseum like basketball.  (This system tacks on 1 game to the schedule of 4 teams, and 2 games for 4 teams.  A little excessive, but doable.)Taking this season as an example, I think it would be fairly clear that besides the BCS conference champs, Boise St. and Utah would deserve to take the other 2 slots.  Also, to reduce the ambiguity, any thoughts of “wild cards” or “at large” picks should be eliminated.  Not only does it open up more controversy, it’s not necessary.  Those who think that a teams such as Alabama or Ohio St. are more deserving to be in the playoff than Boise St. have things all mixed up.  For one, neither Ohio St. nor Alabama was good enough to win their own conference so why would they subsequently be entitled to a second chance at the whole enchilada.  Also, if Boise St. is not good enough to compete with the other schools, the playoff will most certainly determine this. 

The one problem that my proposed system would not solve would be the entire Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma debacle.  There isn’t a clear solution to determine which team is the most deserving but that would be a problem for the Big 12 conference to solve.  Which ever team they determine to be their champion, is the team that would advance to the playoff.   A benefit of only taking conference champions which may not be readily apparent to everyone would be that it would all but eliminate the importance of the “rankings.”  Teams earn their right to advance to the playoffs by what they do on the field, not in the polls.  And once you eliminate the effect of the polls, perhaps schools would no longer be hesitant to put some meat in their non-conference schedules and it would eliminate the need for power houses to schedule cream puffs.  We might actually see more Big 12 v. SEC matchups in the regular season.  That would be cool.

This should satisfy everyone.  Those who are screaming for a playoff should be satisfied.  Those who want to keep the tradition of the bowls should be satisfied.   I personally like the bowls.  They are great for the communities, schools, players, boosters, parents, etc.  By putting the playoffs in front of the bowls, none of those good times are eliminated.  This would be so easy to implement.  Why isn’t it being done?  I guess I’ve answered my own question.  People really are that stupid.

There’s been a growing amount of attention focused on alternative energy for vehicles. Much of that talk has placed emphasis on pure electric cars, hybrid electric cars and ethanol based solutions. I’m certainly not the expert on alternative energy but as a consumer, and a car enthusiast, I’m disappointed at the direction (or misdirection) of where tomorrows cars might look like.

At the 2008 Concorso Italiano in Monterey, I was able to immerse in almost 100 years of automotive progress. It’s astounding how much the car has and has not changed. But I won’t bring up the gas guzzling Ferrari Maranello in this blog, but rather talk about what crossed my mind when I sat inside the Tesla (yes, it was there between the Maseratis and Jaguars).

Besides its 0-60mph time of 3.7 seconds and that it will not directly contribute to global warming, the car was… well… blah. And for $100k USD, I was between a “huh?” and “wtf?” state of mind. Is it just the cool factor? I mean it’s a Lotus Elise with an electric engine - oh wait, it’s 3 Lotus Elise’s (cost wise) but you only get one. There’s more - after driving for 275 miles (Tesla’s numbers), I have to park it and find a plug - wait for 15 hours (tests show that it’s actually 15 hours - not the touted 4 hours) to fully charge. Really?

Therefore, I need 2 - one to drive and one to charge. That’s now a $200k USD garage. But wait - where will I put the family, the girlfriend, my kids, the groceries, ahhh. No problem, let’s get a minivan. Ok, now I just killed my cool-factor by getting a minivan. And I’ve also urinated on the “save the world” reason because 9 out 10 trips, I’ll have to drive the minivan. Sigh.

And what about my years of training. Every man in this planet grew up having to make the “errrrrrrrr (shift), errrrrrrrrrr (shift), aaaarrrrrrr, (shift) AAARRRRRRRRRrooommmm” sound when playing with their toy cars. You hope one day to make enough money to own a real car and NOT have to make that sound again. In fact, there are $24,000 exhaust systems as add-ons for cars just to improve that sound. Accessorizing your car with a Tubi exhaust or a Fuchs exhaust is like telling the world that you just had the best sex ever. But now you’re telling me that I don’t hear that in a Tesla? $100k USD and I now have to scream that f-ing sound in my car like an idiot?

Well how about a hybrid? You still have to make f-ing sound like an idiot but at least you only spent 1/3 of the price. Perfect - that Toyota hybrid car is not the prettiest car on earth (apologies now to all my friends that drive a Priu… Wow, I can’t say the word let alone write it). I can’t admire a car with such a close resemblance to the Aztek - sorry all around. But how about the GM Volt? At least it looks like a car and not a toaster. How about… ok, ok - I’m sure there’s going to be a slew of others that will continue this hybrid concept in the next 5 years. But a couple of things still bother me - they will still need petrol (albeit less); they are designed to be economical first - beautiful last; there’s an unknown on their longevity (Road and Track just documented a 700,000 mile Corvair Monza); and they take a huge step backwards in automotive performance. But my biggest worry is “will the emissions you saved be all for naught when they dispose the car’s batteries?”

Then you have the genius of ethanol. I can stop here and let you think about it. Better yet, use your favorite search engine and look for “ethanol genius” (no wait, that won’t give you a result). I’m not the ethanol expert - however, when you can sniff the political cologne seeping through the gift marked “Ethanol”, something is wrong - you don’t want it.

Ok here’s the executive summary: ethanol augments fossil fuel consumption because it’s derived from things like corn, algae, human hair harvested from all barbers, old light bulbs, or whatever new formula some Cal Berkeley professor preaches. In it’s most common source, we are subsidizing corn farmers, who in turn are giving their corn to ethanol processing, which you and I pay for in the fuel we buy. Isn’t that somewhat wrong? Maybe my facts are skewed - feel free to comment. But wait, corn for ethanol makes the farmer more money so they skip the potatos, wheat and chili peppers (I like those) because those are not as profitable - who cares about feeding the rest of the world.

Ok, I’m going too fast. Let me spell it out. America is one generous country. We like to give food (as aid) to starving people around the world - something that the rest of the world’s citizens (and probably most Americans) don’t know about. For a country with only 350 million people, we donate a lot of food per capita (that’s my nationalistic pride peeking out). But since corn is more expensive due to ethanol needs, farmers are (and I can’t blame them) focusing on corn only - less food, more corn. See how that happens? Corn = profit. Anything but corn = not as much profit. Smart farmer = make more corn. Hungry kid in Africa = sorry, ran out of food but here’s a gallon of gas for your car - enjoy.

So then what is the answer? Am I just going to be the one that defecates on these brilliant solutions?

Those that know me (and I feel sorry for you) have probably heard me many times from my virtual mountain top next to a fake burning bush preaching about… tada!!! HYDROGEN. This is the future. Let’s not get into the science (because I don’t know it - and you can find better sources on the web) and give you this… “Hydrogen engine cars drive like normal cars, except they run on hydrogen - the most abundant resource in the entire universe (except activists)”. It emits the most beautiful thing - “water”. That’s it. No carbon dioxide, no nasty fumes, no nothing zip nada. Just water (mostly evaporated).

I know what you’re thinking - “holy magic car Batman, are you sniffing felt tip pens again?” Not as much my good friend. The future is here - take a look at the Honda Clarity. It looks like a car - it’s not gorgeous (I save that word for Ferraris) but it’s attractive. It drives like a car. It sounds like a car (very important). It seats regular adults like a car. It’s 0-60mph performance is like a normal Honda. And I don’t have to make that damn sound - because it’s a car (except it uses Hydrogen). There are many running around in Los Angeles (where they have Hydrogen filling stations all over town) today. Price - not for sale. $600/month lease for 3 years, that includes all maintenance except for consumables (oil, tires, etc). Ok, it’s still a hybrid (Hydrogen plus an electric engine) but it’s progress. No petrol required.

Problem: where in the hell are you going to get hydrogen? Yeah, that is indeed a problem. But here’s the solution. I’m going to send an email to President Obama (he has a Blackberry). And you should too. The president’s infrastructure plan should include this - because it can be a catalyst for an economic stimulus but also the direction of where the automotive industry should go. Oh and by they way, since my tax money are going to bail out the big-3 automakers, we should require them to follow this direction within 3-5 years. And the beauty of all this - it brings back dependence of energy to - well, just us. Hydrogen provision requires a technological solution - not some country who has access to fossil fuel buried beneath their dirt.

This transformation will change our need for fossil fuel. It also lessens our impact against the environment (at least when it comes to emissions). But there’s also another side effect to this direction. It frees up the petrol for the enthusiasts that like to keep their vintages and exotics running. And because there’s so few of them, emissions will be insignificant.

But alas, we are in a world of influence. And the future of hydrogen is uncertain. There will be better fuel sources - I don’t doubt that. But until then, I can’t imagine Hydrogen not being a big part of that future.